5 Ways Retailers Will Target Future Customers

Technology is changing the ways retailers target shoppers, and today marketers are using more advanced approaches to attract leads thanks to artificial intelligence and other high-tech tools.

The changing landscape of technology has transformed the ways retailers increase the outreach of their brands. Today, retailers use different forms of technology to raise awareness about their products and services to capture leads.

But what does the future holds for this industry? Let’s find the answer in this article:

1 – Earworms

Earworms are a scientific phenomenon that uses sound engineering to create an audio pattern. The idea is to connect with the psyche of the listener and create a “loop” that continues to play in the mind of the listener even after the audio no longer plays.

Such songs use a pattern of repetitive tunes that tend to stick to the listener’s mind. This pattern is scientific in nature and can be created by composers of advertising jingles.

Brands like McDonald’s and Kit Kat have used engineered jingles in their advertising campaigns in the past, and the results were rocking.

The advancement in technology has made it easier for retail brands to compose jingles that resonate with their target audiences, and this will lead more retail advertisers to create catchy jingles for their ads.

2 – AI-Based Advertising

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the rules of business in every aspect. Chatbots are already replacing salespersons and taking orders and filing complaints. Today, you’ll find plenty of ads running on the side screen of your computer showing brands and products you have recently searched. Yes, Google tracks your browsing behavior and presents the ads based on your recent searches.

Nowadays, a lot of retailers are making use of AI-based advertising to get the attention of their leads and engage them in the buying cycle. Under Armour is a good example of a retail brand that is targeting its leads using AI-based information.

The brand uses an app that gets insights into the physical health of users and offers them the right information that will help them achieve their health goals

3 – Unstores

While online business has fully taken off, people still have afterthoughts in making online purchases. The breakpoint is often the lack of first-hand experience of a product, which is only possible in a brick-and- mortar store.

The trend of unstore aims to put a stop to this ordeal as it offers consumers a physical store where they can have a beforehand experience of a product before making a purchase, allowing them to know exactly what they are going to get after they place an order.

There are plenty of ways brands can use unstore to market products, create hype and allow leads to get the feel of newly-launched products. Many retail brands have already adopted this advertising model and others are joining them.

Among the notable examples is Chanel. The fashion brand recently hosted a launch of its new scent product and invited the customers to try the product in its unstore on London’s bustling Bond Street.

The event not only helped the brand get the attention of its clientele, but also allowed it to interact with the people behind the creation of the product. The campaign generated publicity for the scent and contributed significantly to its sales.

IKEA is another brand that leveraged the concept of unstore to promote its range of new products. To attract more leads, the company conducted a promotional event named “Bring Your Own Friends (BYOF)” in an unstore where people can visit to experience its products.

The company created a Facebook page and invited followers to visit locations with friends, sample free food, and get meaty discounts on certain products. The event struck a chord with the audience and boosted the publicity of the brand.

The aforementioned examples prove the viability of unstore and demonstrate their future role in promoting products of a brand. So, we look forward to seeing more unstores in near future.

4 – Connected Cars

Location-based ads have already paved way for advertisers to get access to audiences on the go, especially people who are driving. In the future, we will see retailers using data from contextual advertising and sending ads to people in cars.

Magellan launched the SmartGPS system that car drivers can integrate with their dashboard and get information regarding nearby retailers. The system enables drivers to see retail shops near their location, including restaurants, motels and resorts. In addition, drivers and passengers can even learn about the hottest deals, discounted coupons and special offers.

This newly-launched system has made it easier for drivers to locate nearby retailers and see available offers, and they are able to make some purchase while on the go. In the future, we will see more retailers targeting consumers in automobiles.

5 – Augmented Reality (AR)

The growing influence of augmented reality has opened new avenues for retailers to drum up business. Today, brands are integrating AR-enabled apps into their physical stores to let consumers get a real-life experience of their products.

For advertisers, AR has brought in better ways to let consumers get a glimpse into their favorite products. For example, this is how Adidas has promoted its product Deerupt. To give consumers a feel for the unboxing, the company sent a box to influencers without any shoe in it.

Instead, the box contained a QR code marker that recipients decoded with their mobile phones, redirecting them to the Adidas website where they virtually unboxed the shoe.

The unboxing experience gave them a view of the shoe from different angles and they could see the inside of the shoe as well. The idea was fantastic as people did not have to download an app or leave their space. Seeing the growing potential of the AR market, we can predict that it will be a game-changer in the advertising industry in the future and help retailers more effectively promote their brands.

Over to You …

Technology has changed the ways retailers target their leads. Today, retail advertisers are using more targeted approaches to attract leads thanks to artificial intelligence tools. These rapid changes are helping retailers reach their target customers and we hope these developments will help retail efficiently advertise their products and services.

About the writer: Anna Marsh is a technology geek, blogger, and an educationalist. She is an accomplished academician who has a phenomenal following among students and is praised for her assignment writing services. She keeps an eye on the latest technologies and makes them a topic of their articles. She is a bookaholic and likes to buy good books.